Mail-box.



1. F. HAYES.

MAIL BOX. APPLICAYION FILED NOV. 16. I916.

Ps ltented D0010, 1918.

2 SHEETS- SHEET l- INVENTOR. 1". J/Zzyes Jzipii TTORNEY Jamea J. F. HAYES.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I6. 1916.

1,287,01 2. Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES: v

Jamss I W. I

l f 0 Qfl jhi e'f'ifTOkNEY m: NORRIS Pzrsns w, mumumo. wAsul/mmn, n. I:

JAMES F. HAYES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

Application filed November 16, 1916. Serial No. 131,774.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, JAMES F. HAYES, a

State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

'My invention relates to improvements in mail boxes designed for use primarily in rural districts, and has-forits object the production of a mail bo-x'of this character which will be of durable and economical construction, and, through the medium of which, the owner of the box may readily and easily ascertain whether or not mail has been depositedtherein bythe-mail m'an' "="withQut' the necessity of the owner leaving his house to inspect the mail:.box Otherobjects will appear herein.

The i nvention consists in the combinations and. arrangements; of parts hereinafter deforining a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1 is aperspective view of a mail box' embodying the invention, showing the.

same connected up. for use Fig. 2 -is apartially sectional rear eleyation of the box, the portion shown in section being a section taken on substantially line zv -m of Fig. 3, A

Fig-.3is' a partially sectional side elevation of the construction,- and 5 Fig. 4 is a sectiontaken on substantially line of Fig. 3.

The preferred form of construction, as illustrated in the drawing's, -comprises a box 1 substantially rectangular in form which is suitably mounted upon a supporting post 2. 'The' interior of said box-is" divided by a transversely extending partition 3 into a main or mail-receiving compartment 4, and a supplemental compartment 5. Access to compartment 4 may be gained through either one of two doors 6 and 7, the former of which isarranged at the top and the latter of which is arranged at the front side of the box, said doors being hingedly secured in position at 8 and 9 respectively. Said doors are entirely independent of each other. either being permitted to swing freely without in any way afiecting the other. Said doors are locked in closed position through the medium of a hinged latch 10 carried at the free edge of door 6 which is adapted for engagement with a loop or staple 11 provided at the upper or free edge of door 7 a suitable padlock 12 cooperating with loop 11 to lock the latch 10 in position, as will be readily understood.

The compartment 5 is accessible through a door 13 arranged at one end of the box and hingedly secured in position at 14. A suitable turn-fastening 15 cooperates with thedoor 13 for holding the same in closed position. Arranged in compartment 5 are two spaced contacts 16 insulated from each other and connected with circuit Wires 17, said circuit wires being connected, as seen, with an electric bell or alarm device 18, a source of electrical energy 19 and a manually operable switch or push button 20. The alarm device 18 and switch 20 will be located in the house, or dwelling of the owner of the mail box, the mail box, in rural communities, being as is generallyv known, located ordinarily a considerable distance from the house or dwelling of the owner. The switch 2(lis'normally open, or in circuit-breaking position, the circuit being closed therethrough only upon depression or manipulation of the same.

Cooperating with the contacts 16- is an elongated resilient circuit closer 21 secured at its upper'end, as seen, to the partition 3, the lower end of said member being adapted, normally, through the resiliency thereof, to remain out of engagement with the contacts 7 16, said member being adapted, however.

upon depression, to engage with said contents in order to close the circuit therethrough.

Cooperating with the circuit closing member 21 is a resilient presser member 22 which is provided With a block or contact member 23 adapted, inthe normal position of said ipre ssef' member, to engage with the member 21 and press the latter to circuit-closing position, or into engagement with contacts 16. The presser member 22 is, however, held out of operative position, so as to permit of circuit closer 21 assuming its normal circuitbreaking position, as seen in Fig. 2, by means of a keeper 24 which is slidably mounted in a slotted guide 25 secured rigidly in compartment 5. The keeper 24 is adapted, as seen, to engage under the lower free end of presser member 22, holding the same in flexed condition out of operative position. The keeper 24 is connected with one end of a cord or flexible element 26 which passes around a guide hook 27, the said flexible element being connected at its upper end, as at 28, with the door 6. The arrangement is such that, upon upward swinging of said door to open position, keeper 24 will be withdrawn from engagement with the presser member 22, permitting of the latter to engage with and press the circuit closer 21 into operative position. 5' I In use, the mail box, when set to receive mail, will appear as seen in'the drawings, that is the member 24 will be arranged to hold the presser member 22 in inoperative position and hence the circuit closer 21 in inoperative or --circuit-breaking position. lVhenqthe mailman deposits mail in the box, he will unlock the door 6 and raise the same. By so doing, the keeper 24 will be automaticallywithdrawn-from engagement with the presser member 22, permitting of'movement of-the latter to operative position and hence efl'ecting movement of circuit closer 21 to circuit-closing position. -When.'this' is done any :one' atthechouse of dwelling atv which the alarm 18'andfswitchor-push-button 20 are arranged,-may readily ascertain whether ornot mail ihas been deposited in the mail box, by simply depressing said push-button,

since, upon such depression, the bell or alarm device: willbe sounded. At other times, that is when the member 21 is in circuit-breaking pos1tion, it-=is of'course appa-rent'that depres sion of the 'pushxbutton 20 will not have-the effect of iclosing the circuit through the bell which will; be broken at the contacts 16.

The member 21 is provided,-r at its lower end, with a hook 29 for-the reception of packages of parcel post, the arrangement being such that the suspension of a package upon said hook will have the efiect of moving the member'21to circuit-closing 'position, the same as whenthe member 24 is Withdrawn through raising of the-door 6.

Provided upon the box is also a flag or other suitable signal member 30 which is pivoted at 31. This flag will serve to notify the mail-manthat mail is containedwithin the box, tobe collected by him; In thus col-' lecting the mail, the same will be removed through the door 7 without disturbing the door 6. If the mail man, at the same time, also deposits mail in the box, he will understand that it is necessary for. him to also raise the door 6 in order to set the box for closing of the circuit when the push button 20 is closed or depressed at the house.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect; this is capable of variation and modification Without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications'as come Within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 2 Patent is Thec ombination ofa mail box'having a movable door a circuit closer comprisingspaced contacts arranged in said box; a nor mally inoperatively positionedresilient member adapted :to be moved-into engage-w ment with said-contacts to close thecircult' therethrough'; a resilient presser member adapted to engage. with and press said first mentioned member into-operative position; a keeper for holding said presser member in inoperative'position; an operative connection between said keeper and said door,-

whereby said keeper will =be'moved to re Copies of this-patent may be chancellor-five cents each,. bv sdglressing the "Commissioner terms...

- wa hi g anfifl 

